Bible Strands
Proverbs 24:16
For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — A wise teacher (from the Hezekian collection, Proverbs 25–29) addresses a general audience, placing this verse between a warning not to lie in wait against the righteous (v.15) and a warning not to gloat over an enemy's fall (v.17).
The words — The Hebrew pairs יִפּוֹל (yippol, "he will fall") with וָקָם (vaqam, "and he will rise"), making the contrast structural rather than incidental. The wicked's stumble is specified as בְּרָעָה (bera'ah, "in trouble"), locating their failure precisely in adversity.
The thread — Psalms 37:24 echoes the same image: "Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand," and Micah 7:8 personalizes it: "Though I have fallen, I will arise."
Why it lands — The verse draws a line between falling and staying down: the righteous are defined by their rising, the wicked by their inability to rise when times are hard. It asks the reader to stop measuring a person by their fall and start measuring them by what follows.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Cross-references
- Psalms 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all.
- Psalms 37:24 Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand.
- Micah 7:8 Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
- Job 5:19 He will rescue you from six calamities; no harm will touch you in seven.
- 2 Corinthians 4:8 We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
- 2 Corinthians 11:23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am speaking as if I were out of my mind.) I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death.
- Proverbs 14:32 The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin, but the righteous man has a refuge even in death.
- Proverbs 13:17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:3 While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
- Revelation 18:20 Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced for you His judgment against her.